Apple Patents: More Interested In Shopping Than Ever

Apple Patents: Some people look at Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and see nothing more than devices. From the iPhone to the iPad to a killer lineup of Mac computers, the Cupertino based company has a little bit of everything for somebody interested in technology.

Of course, Apple goes well beyond this and we don’t have to look any further than the company’s recent patent applications to get a better idea of where and how it is going to spend its time and money in the future.

For example, we discussed two Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) patents this morning related to non-traditionally shaped batteries. This could mean many things, including the fact that the company may be working on devices that are not shaped like those of the past.

This time around, we want to take a closer look at Apple and its love with shopping – more specifically, shopping related apps.

Here is one of the company’s most recent patent applications: Method of Setting Payment Option Preferences

The abstract gives a better idea of what the patent is all about:

“Systems and methods are provided that allow for a portable electronic device to provide smart menus to a user based on a context of a transaction. Specifically, the method of using a portable electronic device may include opening a near field communication (NFC) channel with a point-of-purchase device and providing a smart menu based on a determined context. The portable electronic device may be configured to determine the context based at least in part upon acquiring sales transaction information for the point-of-purchase device. Additionally, the portable electronic device may be configured to determine the context based at least in part upon acquiring vendor identification information.”

How cool does that sound? There are many ways that this type of technology could be used. For example, your Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) device, such as your iPhone, could recognize the retail store you are in and then recommend a payment option that best suits your preferences. Obviously, the coolest part is that you don’t have to do anything on your own. Of course, you would have the ability to set payment options and customize how the system works.

It is important to note that this is nothing more than a patent application, meaning that the technology may not be coming to your Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone in the near future. However, it is definitely something to keep an eye on.

The original filing date was September 14, 2012. Inventors are listed as Andrew Hodge, Michael Rosenblatt, Amir Mikhak, Gloria Lin, and Taido Nakajima.

Check back here for more updates on Apple Patents.

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